Hard work pays off
Bradey Johnson finally getting rewarded for hard work as ’ Dogs wrap up impressive week
Every team has one, and if they don’t they’re sure missing an important piece: a player who would go through the wall for his teammates, block shots and, no matter what the circumstance or time of game, give 110 per cent.
Enter Bradey Johnson of the Niagara IceDogs.
The 17- year old forward, who is in his second season in the Ontario Hockey League, finished his rookie campaign with no goals and four assists in 35 games.
Saturday night in St. Catharines Johnson found the back of the net twice to give him three goals on the season as the IceDogs battled back from an early 2- 0 deficit to defeat the high- powered Mississauga Steelheads 5- 3 before an announced crowd of 4,675 at Meridian Centre.
“They’re a pretty strong team, they’ve got some big defencemen that’s for sure, but we’ve got speed and showed a couple of times when we drove wide on them and it paid off,” said Johnson, whose father John played in the OHL with the former Niagara Falls Thunder.
The Steelheads game plan seemed to be to try and intimidate the younger, smaller IceDogs who were playing without three of their tougher players in the newly acquired Adrian Carbonara, defenceman Zach Shankar and Thorold native Kyle Langdon.
“We’re a grittier team than a lot of people give us credit for, and we’re not going to back down if teams try and take runs at us,” IceDogs head coach Billy Burke said after the team’s second win at home home in as many nights.
“We’ve shown that we can be physical as well, and I think we’re at our best when we’re engaged physically and playing gritty.”
And Johnson is a player who defines grit. Burke knows what the 5- foot- 11, 175- pound forward brings to the rink every day.
“He’s a guy you can’t help to pull for and like,” Burke said. “We hook the guys up to heart rate monitors in practice so that Pete ( athletic therapist Pete Dobbin) can monitor their recovery and he’s always the guy who just leads the way.
“Max effort, just constantly, no matter what. Guys like him, the whole bench gets fired up when he can chip in a few.”
Johnson has set some pretty lofty goals for himself this season.
“Last year I left not having a goal scored after 35 games,” ( this year) I had a minimum of 25 points which is a high goal but I want to get there,” said the Lindsay, Ont., native, who is team captain Johnny Corneil’s stepbrother.
“I think the way Bradey plays, the points will come off hard work and opportunity,” Burke said.
After the Steelheads opened a 2- 0 lead 11: 55 into the first period, Akil Thomas and Liam Ham would tie the game at two late in the opening frame.
Johnson would then score two goals in a little more than two minutes midway through the second period, including what turned out to be the game winner.
“I don’t have the hardest shot, but I’ll take anything I can get,” Johnson said with a smile.
Ham also scored twice, both on the power play, to give him three goals on the campaign as the IceDogs picked up five of a possible six points in three games last week against very formidable opponents in Owen Sound, Ottawa and Mississauga. Niagara entertains Erie Thursday to complete a mini three- game homestand. Game time is 7 p. m.
“This weekend was huge,” Burke said.
“And to be completely honest to see the week we had and to see a Missy ( Mississauga) twice, an Owen Sound and an Ottawa, it could have been a tough ( week) for us to get back on track, but to go and do it against some of the best teams in the league should be great confidence for the guys.
“Now, we’ve got a couple of days to rest and get ready for Erie on Thursday.”
’ Dog Biscuits: Joshua Dame, Carbonara, Langdon and Shankar were scratched for the IceDogs …
Willy Lochead left this game in the second period but returned for the third after being kneed on a non- call by the Steelheads blueliner Merrick Rippon … Niagara goaltender Stephen Dhillon also went down in the second period after overextending on a skate save, but battled through it …
Jacob Ingham replaced Mississauga starting goaltender Emanuel Vella after the fifth Niagara goal.
We’ve shown that we can be physical as well, and I think we’re at our best when we’re engaged physically and playing gritty.” Niagara IceDogs head coach Billy Burke